France reportedly facing 1.2 billion euro claim from Russia

[cronus]

http://www.euronews.com/2015/05/15/fran ... -warships/

France reportedly facing 1.2 billion euro claim from Russia over Mistral warships

Russia reportedly wants almost 1.2 billion euros in compensation, if France cancels a contract to deliver two Mistral helicopter carriers.

President Francois Hollande is under pressure from Western allies to scrap the deal because of Moscow’s role in the Ukraine crisis.

According to the Russian daily, Kommersant, Paris is offering around 785 million euros.

The Kremlin says its position is clear: either France stumps up the full compensation, or it hands over the warships.

It is claimed that Paris is keen to resell the two Mistrals before paying out compensation.

But a Russian defence official has said the vessels cannot go to a third country because they’ve been tailor made and it is a matter of state security.

While it seems a storm is brewing at sea, the Kremlin has emphasised there is no threat to relations with France.

(continued, ships already in port - just add troops?)

Only yesterday...?

http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/201503 ... ons-centre

[Svartalf]

yeah, and hollande was proposing only 750M... why won't the fool just close the deal and deliver the damn ships, they are built to Russkie specs and can't be sold off elsewhere anyway...
I'm pretty sure they'll find an agreement : neither wants to go in front of the arbiterial court in Geneva, which will happen if they don't.

[pErvinalia]

Russia should invade.

Ebola.

[cronus]

Russia should invade.

Ebola.

Putin been stationing his troops in Greece for months. Desert Storm 2.

[mistermack]

Putin will insist on every cent, if he doesn't get his ships.
And then he'll buy them from whoever the French sell them to. And be quids in.

And the Rouble is back on the up. Rumours of it's death were exaggerated.

And he's still got Crimea, and the Eastern bits of Ukraine. He just needs the oil price to bounce back up to get ahead of the game.

[Seth]

http://www.euronews.com/2015/05/15/fran ... -warships/

France reportedly facing 1.2 billion euro claim from Russia over Mistral warships

Russia reportedly wants almost 1.2 billion euros in compensation, if France cancels a contract to deliver two Mistral helicopter carriers.

President Francois Hollande is under pressure from Western allies to scrap the deal because of Moscow’s role in the Ukraine crisis.

According to the Russian daily, Kommersant, Paris is offering around 785 million euros.

The Kremlin says its position is clear: either France stumps up the full compensation, or it hands over the warships.

It is claimed that Paris is keen to resell the two Mistrals before paying out compensation.

But a Russian defence official has said the vessels cannot go to a third country because they’ve been tailor made and it is a matter of state security.

While it seems a storm is brewing at sea, the Kremlin has emphasised there is no threat to relations with France.

(continued, ships already in port - just add troops?)

Only yesterday...?

http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/201503 ... ons-centre

I'd deliver them to the Russians...at the bottom of the Marianas Trench.

[klr]

Why on earth couldn't Russian dockyards build these sort of ships anyway.

As to the details of the design being a matter of state security: I very much doubt that any significant details are still a secret to anyone who wanted to find out about them.

[Seth]

Why on earth couldn't Russian dockyards build these sort of ships anyway.

As to the details of the design being a matter of state security: I very much doubt that any significant details are still a secret to anyone who wanted to find out about them.

Because Russians are shitty engineers and shitty welders.

[mistermack]

Why on earth couldn't Russian dockyards build these sort of ships anyway.

As to the details of the design being a matter of state security: I very much doubt that any significant details are still a secret to anyone who wanted to find out about them.

Because Russians are shitty engineers and shitty welders.

100 million Kalashnikov buyers might disagree. So might the US soldiers who got hit by AK 47 bullets in Vietnam. Apparently, they really hurt.

That's also what the Germans thought in WW2. Till they came across the Russian tanks.

These French ships were probably part of a big trade agreement between France and Russia, involving gas coming from Russia, and arms coming from France.

[Seth]

Why on earth couldn't Russian dockyards build these sort of ships anyway.

As to the details of the design being a matter of state security: I very much doubt that any significant details are still a secret to anyone who wanted to find out about them.

Because Russians are shitty engineers and shitty welders.

100 million Kalashnikov buyers might disagree. So might the US soldiers who got hit by AK 47 bullets in Vietnam. Apparently, they really hurt.

Kalishnakov was a (emphasis on the singular) genius weapons designer and the reason the AK works so well is that there is almost no welding required and what is required is uncritical and the weapon still functions even if you cob it together. This is unlike German assault rifles, which also have a stamped receiver but which require precision welding of the barrel group to the receiver or they don't function at all. The beauty of the AK is that its tolerances are so loose that it will continue to function even when filthy. But it's not a particularly accurate weapon. Past 300 meters (or less) it's pretty much useless except for suppressive fire.

That being said, Russia still doesn't make good AKs, most of the best ones come out of Bulgaria.

That's also what the Germans thought in WW2. Till they came across the Russian tanks.

Well, the T-34 anyway. The other Russian tanks weren't much, but they made up for their technical deficiencies in sheer volume of manufacture.

These French ships were probably part of a big trade agreement between France and Russia, involving gas coming from Russia, and arms coming from France.

Probably.

[mistermack]

Well, the T-34 anyway. The other Russian tanks weren't much, but they made up for their technical deficiencies in sheer volume of manufacture.

Ease of manufacture is just as important a quality, as ease of aiming.
More so, actually.
An easily made tank is a better tank. When your country is being invaded.

[cronus]

Well, the T-34 anyway. The other Russian tanks weren't much, but they made up for their technical deficiencies in sheer volume of manufacture.

Ease of manufacture is just as important a quality, as ease of aiming.
More so, actually.
An easily made tank is a better tank. When your country is being invaded.

Same with German and American planes in WW2. Germans made them better but couldn't upscale. Americans could.

[Seth]

Well, the T-34 anyway. The other Russian tanks weren't much, but they made up for their technical deficiencies in sheer volume of manufacture.

Ease of manufacture is just as important a quality, as ease of aiming.
More so, actually.
An easily made tank is a better tank. When your country is being invaded.

True, to a certain extent. Any weapon is better than no weapon.

Then again, there is this:, which makes manufacturing an AR-15 lower receiver quite literally child's play that can be done at home. Stockpile the rest of the parts, buy a stack of 80% receivers for less than $100 each and you've got your own little arsenal just waiting to be milled. Soon enough there will be one that will machine the entire receiver from a monolithic block of aluminum without any human intervention. Buy the device, stick the raw material in, push a button, change a tool when directed and pretty damned quick you'll have both an upper and a lower receiver ready to install barrel and guts. Add a Ceracoat finish or even self-anodize and your unmarked, un-serialized AR will be ready to go.

[mistermack]

Well, the T-34 anyway. The other Russian tanks weren't much, but they made up for their technical deficiencies in sheer volume of manufacture.

Ease of manufacture is just as important a quality, as ease of aiming.
More so, actually.
An easily made tank is a better tank. When your country is being invaded.

True, to a certain extent. Any weapon is better than no weapon.

Then again, there is this:, which makes manufacturing an AR-15 lower receiver quite literally child's play that can be done at home. Stockpile the rest of the parts, buy a stack of 80% receivers for less than $100 each and you've got your own little arsenal just waiting to be milled. Soon enough there will be one that will machine the entire receiver from a monolithic block of aluminum without any human intervention. Buy the device, stick the raw material in, push a button, change a tool when directed and pretty damned quick you'll have both an upper and a lower receiver ready to install barrel and guts. Add a Ceracoat finish or even self-anodize and your unmarked, un-serialized AR will be ready to go.

I'm all for it. The more massacres the better, so long as they stay in America.
Nobody deserves it more.

Our laws can handle that sort of stuff easily. And gun control laws can be updated easily here, with plenty of public support.

[piscator]

Maybe mistermack deserves to be massacred too?